A wide variety of uses have occurred over the past several years for machines which can translate magnetically recorded intelligence into sound or other sensible phenomena. For example, such machines have been used to provide a multisensory approach to learning in order to provide motivation for individual students. In this example, expressly designed cards may be programmed for a particular purpose. The programs are produced on sets of cards with individual cards containing a visual presentation, such as graphic material, word symbols, etc., on the top portion, and a corresponding audio presentation on a strip of magnetic recording material at the bottom portion. To use such a system, a student inserts the card into a pathway in the machine, observes the visual intelligence on the card, and listens to the audio portion of his lesson. In some cases, he may record his response on a special track on the strip of magnetic recording tape and he can then, aurally, compare his response with the lesson material.
Prior art machines which can accomplish the ultimate function desired are well known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,519, such a machine has been described and thoroughly illustrated. With that machine, the operator inserts a card of the type described above into contact with a forward feed drive capstan and transducer head. This positioning of the card causes a switch to activate the capstan, advancing the card past the transducer head. When the card has completed its travel past the capstan, its trailing end moves just beyond the forward drive capstan and stops with the card in alignment with a return drive system. If it is desired to return the card to its original, or starting position, the operator may actuate a control system to close the switch and engage the return drive system, which includes a capstan which can be rotated by the main drive motor. The return drive system moves the card in the direction opposite to that in which it is moved by forward capstan, thereby returning the card to the starting position. This is accomplished by moving the return drive capstan into a position in which an associated drive gear is forced to mesh with a gear of the forward drive system.
At the same time, the control apparatus forces the transducer head away from the card travel path, allowing the card to move freely into the starting position. Unfortunately, this creates another problem: misalignment of the transducer head.
Thus, as has been discussed above, the prior art devices are susceptible to two major problems: (1) the wear and damage which can occur when two gears are moved relative to one another in order to accomplish meshing of the gearing; and (2) misalignment of the transducer head which may be caused by wear, etc., from moving the head each time a card is to be returned, with a resultant loss of quality in play back and/or recording.